Tesco has reported to City of London police that its brand was misappropriated by unlicensed online casinos operating through advertisements on Meta platforms. The supermarket’s image appeared in fake casino promotions and on websites claiming to be the official Tesco casino, despite the company having no involvement in gambling operations.
The scam represents part of a broader pattern affecting major corporations and sports personalities. Other victims include Barclays bank, Monzo, Coral, and Gala Bingo. Athletes such as Lewis Hamilton, Tyson Fury, Erling Haaland, Jude Bellingham, and Bruno Fernandes have had their images used without authorization in similar schemes. One fake casino even featured an AI-generated lookalike of Haaland as a casino croupier.
These unauthorized gambling operations lack proper licensing for operation in Britain. Many claim licenses from jurisdictions such as Curacao or Anjouan that are not recognized for regulatory purposes in major markets. The fraudulent sites exploit brand recognition to appear legitimate, with some mimicking the visual presentation and language of established companies to deceive consumers.
Regulatory bodies including the Gambling Commission and the Advertising Standards Authority have acknowledged awareness of the problem. The Gambling Commission indicated it will have enhanced enforcement powers in autumn, while working with the ASA on intellectual property violations. Meta removed several advertisements after media inquiries but stated that advertisers, rather than platforms, bear responsibility for regulatory compliance. Industry officials have called for stricter oversight of technology companies facilitating such content distribution and have urged regulators to take firmer action against the practice.
Article Attribution | Read More at Article Source
Article summary produced by Claude AI